1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to clutch devices in motor vehicles, and more particularly, to a housing for a multiple-disc clutch.
2. Description of the Related Art
DE 195 45 972 A1 discloses a multiple-disc clutch in which openings are provided in a plurality of disc-driving teeth. These openings pass axially through the teeth. Corresponding openings are provided in the cover and/or in the flywheel, so that, to assemble the housing for this known multiple-disc clutch, fastening bolts can be passed through the openings, which are then axially aligned, in the flywheel, in the teeth of the toothed ring and in the cover. These three components can therefore be joined together to form a housing by screwing a nut onto the fastening bolts.
In multiple-disc clutches, which are generally used in the racing sector, it is necessary to design this clutch to be as light as possible and with the lowest possible moment of inertia. The use of fastening bolts, i.e. screws or anti-fatigue screws, for holding the housing together conflicts with this requirement, since these screws have to be made of very solid material in order to be able to provide the required strength of the housing. In addition, since the screws also lie in the radially outer region of the housing, they contribute to the increase in the mass moment of inertia to an undesirably high degree.